1. Small carnivorous freshwater percoid fishes of North America usually having a laterally compressed body and metallic lustre: crappies, black bass, bluegills, pumpkinseed
   "Centrarchids are commonly known as sunfish and are popular among freshwater anglers";
   - centrarchid
    
2. Among the largest bony fish; pelagic fish having an oval compressed body with high dorsal and anal fins and caudal fin reduced to a rudder-like lobe; worldwide in warm waters
   "The ocean sunfish can weigh up to 2,000 pounds";
   - ocean sunfish, mola, headfish
    
3. The lean flesh of any of numerous American perch-like fishes of the family Centrarchidae
   "The children enjoyed catching and eating fresh sunfish from the pond"

Derived forms: sunfishes

Type of: freshwater fish, percoid, percoid fish, percoidean, plectognath, plectognath fish

Part of: Centrarchidae, family Centrarchidae, genus Mola

Encyclopedia: Sunfish, Ocean